Mata says had nothing to fear from Mourinho's arrival at United
REUTERS - Playmaker Juan Mata says he did not lose any sleep over Jose Mourinho's arrival at Manchester United despite longstanding and widespread rumours that the pair had fallen out when they were both at Chelsea.
Mourinho dropped the Spaniard during his time at Stamford Bridge before selling him to United in January 2014 for a then club record fee of 37 million pounds ($45.24 million).
Mata has been a key player for the Premier League club this season, however, scoring twice and racking up an assist in eight league games.
"Too many things were said. Too many stories were created as well – lies," Mata, who was given the captain's armband for Saturday's goalless draw with Burnley, told British media.
"When the manager came in I was always thinking the same as I have always, I am going to give my best, and I believe in myself and I think this can work out.
"The truth is that nothing happened. I came here to play for Manchester United, as one more of the players in the squad and that is it. I started training from the first day I arrived to get fit and be ready, and that is the case now."
Mata added that he did not have to sit down with Mourinho to discuss his future at United, with the former Chelsea, Real Madrid, Inter Milan and Porto boss saying in September that Mata "asked to leave".
"He didn't sit down with me, no," Mata added. "I do feel an important part of this team, I do feel that. Since I came to Manchester United we had ups and downs but I always felt an important player under any manager, and I feel important now.
"But we didn't have any conversations. I have said this before and I will say it again – it is a professional relationship. That is it.
"That is why where there were so many things said about what is going to happen when the new manager arrived, in my mind I had it clear."
($1 = 0.8178 pounds)
(Reporting by Ian Rodricks in Bengaluru, editing by Nick Mulvenney)